By Nathan Eyagu

Soroti City — Jeressar High School has taken another step in its mission to build spiritually grounded young leaders through a Scripture Union (SU) leadership transition ceremony held recently. The event, marked by student worship, encouragement from Christian leaders, and a call to servant leadership, reinforced the school’s commitment to instilling values of faith, integrity, and service.

At the heart of the ceremony were vibrant worship and praise performances by students, setting a tone of gratitude and celebration. Richard Oboi, Scripture Union Regional Coordinator for Teso–Karamoja, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the dual role of the outgoing and incoming leadership. He applauded the outgoing team for “sowing seeds of hope” and challenged the incoming leaders to build on their work with humility and dedication. He also reminded students that SU’s mission is to nurture a deep knowledge of Jesus Christ and His ways, encouraging gratitude for God’s love.

Outgoing chairperson Joshua Omiat reflected on his tenure, thanking the regional leaders and the student body for their support. He highlighted the club’s achievements, including outreach programs that led several students to give their lives to Christ. “Being in SU doesn’t mean you must belong to one particular denomination,” Omiat said, underlining that all who believe in Christ—Anglican, Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise—are welcome. He urged the new leadership to expand membership and continue the ministry’s positive impact.

The guest of honour, Pastor Moses Eliabu, a school board member and Pentecostal pastor, reinforced the spiritual dimension of leadership. Drawing on Genesis 1:21-31, he reminded attendees that leadership is God’s design, not merely a human construct. He encouraged leaders to view authority as service, reject self-interest, and embrace responsibility. “Leadership is all about serving the people,” he said, urging leaders to use their positions to honour God, expose truth, and shine light wherever darkness persists.

Scripture Union Uganda (SUU) is a prominent Christian organization with over 50 years of ministry in the country. It works through churches and schools to engage children and young people in evangelism, discipleship, and spiritual formation. SUU operates school clubs, weekend camps, Bible study programmes, values education classes, residential conferences, and life-skills training.

One of SUU’s major initiatives is the Values Education Class (VEC), also known as VOICE (Values Orientation in Classroom Education). In VOICE, volunteer teachers from Christian churches visit primary and secondary schools to teach biblical values through storytelling and visual aids. The program runs in six-week sessions during each of the three school terms, shaping moral character and ethical decision-making among students.

SUU also emphasizes training student leaders and Christian teachers, equipping them to serve effectively in clubs like the one at Jeressar High. The organization provides devotions, literature, mentorship, and support for youth to lead Bible clubs, evangelistic outreach, and peer discipleship programmes.

In his brief remarks, school chaplain Okello Peter highlighted that the transition reflects the school’s commitment to nurturing responsible citizens and aligns with Scripture Union’s vision of raising young people who live out Christian values in everyday life. He noted that the event has laid the foundation for another season of growth, faith, and leadership among Jeressar High School students.